The project is designed to respond to the continuing requirement by the research community for small animal models of human diseases. Since the inception of this project, rat models have been developed for the study of rheumatoid arthritis, insulin independent diabetes mellitus, chemical addictions, as well as behavioral disorders. In the mouse, the emphasis has been on developing models for the study of diseases in which the immune system plays a critical role. Although not directly related to the development of animal models but critical to its success is evaluating the importance of the different components of the reproductive cycle to establish their contribution to reproductive efficiency.